“I don’t know, Morana.” Airess inhaled a breath of patience and changed the subject. “Where is Lord Calder?” Airess asked, referencing Morana’s husband. “Where’s baby Allia?”
To Airess’ surprise, Morana smiled slightly as she took another sip of wine. “The baby is upstairs asleep.Lord Calderwill be running late this evening.”
Airess opened her mouth to reply, but Morana stood abruptly, mentioning she needed to check on the baby. Airess watched her walk away, suddenly missing her cold and distant company. She busied herself, picking at her nails to pass the time—
At once, Airess felt an invisible force hit her in the back. An intense, painless energy sent her lurching forward into the table. Her breath quickened at the buzzing sensation within, her body recognizing an aura she couldn’t comprehend. Airess gripped the table to steady herself, sensing a foreign energy so strong that it had struck her from across the room.
She whipped her head toward the crowd, blinking to uncover The Sight. Airess scanned the room for the source, struggling to differentiate all the colors of auras in the room, each bundle of energy blending into the next in such close quarters.
Until she saw it.
Orhim, rather.
It was the most beautiful energy she had ever seen in all her twenty years. Silver and multicolored tendrils of energy flowed around him in a dance, the aura moving with ease. Airess stood up, walked to the dais banister, and stared.
Glowing, silver eyes stared back at her.
He had to have been her age, perhaps a few years older. The male had bronzed skin, suggesting he must have hailed from the southern continent. His brown, curly hair fell over his brow effortlessly. His tattooed muscled arms were on display, as his tunic had been rolled to the elbows. His tall height was evident, even from afar.
The male smirked and brought a flask to his lips. He took a swig, still not breaking eye contact with her, staring through thick lashes. Airess didn’t know why he was looking at her so boldly in front of everyone, especially with thatlookin his eyes. Her breath hitched, entranced in his gaze, before she remembered herself and turned away, fighting the heat creeping up to her cheeks.
Before she could think about the male any further, the sound of heels approached. The music began to change to an upbeat melody, cueing the first waltz of the night. “Airess, dear, do go out there and dance with our guests,” Melanth instructed with a curt smile, lowering her voice to a whisper. Airess’ blood ran cold. This was it. The waltz was about to begin…
“The prince seems to be missing at the moment. You’ll have to charm them on your own.”
“Of course,” Airess replied, her body reacting automatically, just as it always did when her mind was far from the present moment. Airess tried her best to stifle her curiosity about the handsome male across the room and focus on her escape plan.
The Plan: Dance. Get lost in the crowd.Run. She descended down the dais and smiled at anyone who looked her way.
Airess stood in formation with the rest of the dancers, knowing this waltz by muscle memory from a lifetime of ballroom dance lessons. It began slowly, only requiring one dance partner. She took the hand of an older Elven male and was whisked away.
The song felt like it lasted forever, the Elven gentleman talking to Airess mostly about crops.
“I find it so strangethat my flower field keeps getting raided. Of course, I know my plants are the most desirable in the city, but it’s becoming quite problematic. Perhaps this is something you could mention to the queen?”
Airess unintentionally tuned him out, looking around for the mysterious male in the mass of attendees. Curiosity got the better of her. Who was he, and why was he so different from the others? Surely, it was her eyes playing tricks on her—
“It would be very kind of you to pass on a message to the queen, my Lady. My Lady?” The Elven male repeated, yanking Airess’ attention back to the present as the first waltz came to an end.
She nodded politely. “Of course, my Lord. I will expedite such matters to the highest of ranks.”
The male seemed satisfied with her response and gave his thanks as he departed.
The orchestra wasted no time as another song began to play, the beat much faster than before. Airess knew this waltz well and rejoined the line of dancers, placing her hand in another guest’s and moving her feet to the beat of the music.
One. Two. Three. Four.
A dim spark within her lit brighter, a dormant part of her finally coming alive. It was a foreign feeling. Was this freedom? Was this happiness? Whatever it was, she relished in it. Who knew how much time she had left to just beherself. Her love for music drove her forward, giving her the strength to live on.
One. Two. Three. Four.
Time to switch partners, Airess swirled in the other direction, coming alive as she met the next dancer. She smiled—a real smile—the feeling foreign as she lost herself in the music. Her feet moved in rhythm with the melody, and before she knew it, it was time to move on to the next person. Leave it to the music to always draw her out of her mind and away from her fears.
She spun, perhaps a little too much, as she tripped into her next dance partner.
Firm hands steadied her arms, preventing her from stumbling. She righted her footing and arched her neck to look up.
Airess gaped, taking in the silver eyes, the color even more intense up close.Wow.He was beautiful. A thin scar slashed downwards from his temple and down the side of his cheek, the scarred flesh contrasting against his dark tan skin. Was he a fighter, a soldier? He certainly had the height and build for one, his tall frame towering over her. Lean muscle bristled against his tight suit as he moved.
